Garter.



Patented Oct. 30; I900.

a. H. BLAKESLEY.

GARTER. I (Application filed June 21, 1898 (NuIodeL) m: NORRIS PETERS no. Pnoro-L'Ima, WASNINGTON, o c,

UNHED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT H. BLAKESLEY, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.

GARTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1\l'o. 660,553,dat d O t r 30, 1900.

Application filed June 21, 1898. Serial No. 684,077. (No model.)

To all whont it ,may concern:

Be it kn own that I, GILBERT H. BLAKESLEY, of Bristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,h-ave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to garters, and more particularly to that type of garter adapted for mens wear. Such garters as heretofore constructed have usually embodied an elastic leg-band, which encircled the leg of the wearer between the knee and the calf, and a pendent clasp, which was so connected by means of cord or webbing with the leg-band that the strain of the clasp attached to the sock was transmitted to and depended on to draw the leg-band closely about the leg in order that said band should be held in place and perform the proper function. This was usually accomplished by providing a sliding connection between the part which supports the clasp and the leg-band. The

proper fit of the garter under these conditions was dependent upon the length of the leg portion of the sock, which if too long would not place suiiicient strain upon the leg-band to retain it in position upon the leg and which if too short would place so much strain thereon as to cause the leg-band to unduly compress the leg and retard the proper circulation of the blood therein to the great discomfort of the wearer.

The object of the present invention is to so construct a garter as to render the retaining of the leg-band in position on the leg entirely independent of the strain imparted thereto by the supporting-clasp and to generally render the device more comfortable and eifective in use.

To the above ends the present invention consists of the improved garter, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the complete garter. Fig. 2 shows an enlarged detail illustrating the method of connecting the leg-band and the retaining and supporting sections. Fig. 3 illustrates the manner Figs. 4, 5,6,

and-socket fastening a, one member of which is carried by the leg-band A and the opposite member by the tab T. (See Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.)

The retaining and supporting sections C and C C are formed of elastic material, such as elastic cords, consisting of rubber strands covered by a suitable loosely-braided textile fabric and which is well-known to those persons skilled in this art and need not be described. These elastic sections 0 and C C maybe connected to the band A and the tab T in any suitable manner, the only requisite being that they shall be entirely independent of each other, the retainingrsection C acting to retain the leg-band Ain position upon the leg of the wearer and the supporting-section acting to support the sock. As shown in the drawings, they are connected as follows At each end the sections C and C C are provided with clips 0, which, as shown in Fig. 7, have wings a which are designed to be folded down around the ends of the elastic cords comprising the sections C and C C and confining both the textile braided covering and the rubber strands. The manner of applying such clips to the elastic cords is shown in Fig. 3 and may be described as follows: A' section of the cord of indefinite length is extended or placed under tension, and while thus held the pairs of the clips 0 are secured to the cord in close proximity to each other at the proper intervals along the cord to produce elastic sections of the length required; After the clips have been placed upon the elastic cords such cords are out between the clips, as shown at 0 thus producing the sections with the clips 0 at the ends, as shown clearly in the drawings. Each clip hasa projecting tongue 0'', which is passed through slotsd ofplates D and turned over or clenched, thus fastening the ends of the elastic retaining-section S and the elastic supporting-section to the plate D. The plates D are provided with sleeves which engage connecting loops or links E, which are connected, respectively, to one end of the leg-band A and the tab T in any suitable manner, as by doubling the band and tab upon themselves through the loops E and securing the doubledover portions in a manner well known to those persons skilled in this art. leg-band is preferably connected to a buckle or slide to, whereby said band may be adjusted to the requirements of the individual Wearing the garter and to regulate the tension of the elastic retaining-section C.

At the medial portion of the elastic supporting-section O 0 there is secured in the usual pendent position the supporting-clasp D, which may be of any usual or preferred construction.

If desired, the metallic connections at the ends of the sections C and O C may be covered, as by coverings of silk or other suitable material 6, which is usually secured thereto by sewing.

It will be noted that in my improved garter the leg-band A is formed of inelastic material and may be adjusted in length to regulate the tension of the elastic retaining-section C, so as to be comfortably retained in proper position on the leg of the wearer and that the constant binding eifect on the m usclesat the hack of the leg, which is present in those garters having elastic leg-bands, is done away with. It will be further noted that the strain incident to supporting the sock is transmitted to The end of the the retaining-section, so that the members 0 O of the supporting-section will normally assume an angular position with relation to each other.

Having described the construction and mode of operation of my invention, I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A garter comprising 'an inelastic legband, an elastic retaining-section and an independent elastic supporting-section connecting the ends of the leg-band, and a supporting-clasp supported by the supporting-section, substantially as described.

2. A garter comprising an inelastic legband, an elastic retaining-section connecting the ends of said band, and an elastic supporting-section supported by the ends of said band, they retaining-section being of relatively less elasticity than the supporting-section, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subsoribing witnesses.

GILBERT H. BLAKESLEY.

In presence of J OHN J. JENNINGS, FLORENCE A. SoULE. 

